Connections, originally from the New York Times, challenges players to find themes between words.

Find all four groups of four items with something in common from the 16 words presented; each puzzle has one solution but some words may fit multiple categories—just to make things tricky. You have unlimited attempts. You are permitted four mistakes before the game ends.

You can play the game again at any point by refreshing the page and starting again. 

Each group is assigned a color (Yellow, Green, Blue, or Purple), with Yellow being the easiest category and Purple being the trickiest. 

Q: Who can participate?

A: The contest is open to residents of the United States of America and other countries, where permitted by local law, who are the age of eighteen (18) years and older, except for employees of Sponsor, its agents, affiliates, and their immediate families.

Q: Do I need to pay to participate?
A: No. This contest is free of charge and hosted by IEEE SA to raise awareness of standards.

Q: How do I enter the contest?
A: Complete the Official Entry Form and upload your Connections screenshot during the entry period, 07 October 2024 through 14 November 2024 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Q: Can I enter more than once?
A: No, you can only enter the contest one time per email address.

Q: What criteria will be used to select the winners?
A: Prize winners will be chosen at random but must include a complete submission form and Connections result screenshot.

Q: Who should I contact if I have further questions?
A: Please contact us at [email protected] if you have additional questions about the contest.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING.

Contest: IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) World Standards Day: Connections—Building an Equitable Future for Health and Well-Being (the “Contest”)

Sponsor: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Incorporated, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, 08854 (“Sponsor”)

Eligibility: Contest is open to residents of the United States of America and other countries, where permitted by local law, who are the age of eighteen (18) years and older, except for employees of Sponsor, its agents, affiliates, and their immediate families. Only submissions from an individual will be accepted. Entrants may be subject to rules imposed by their institution or employer relative to their participation in contests and should check with their institution or employer for any relevant policies. Void where prohibited by law.

Agreement to Official Rules: By participating in this contest, entrants agree to abide by the terms and conditions thereof as established by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to alter any of these Official Rules at any time and for any reason. All decisions made by Sponsor concerning the Contest including, but not limited to the cancellation of the Contest, shall be final and at its sole discretion.

Entry Period: Contest commences on 07 October 2024, 12:00 AM US EDT and all entries must be received by 14 November 2024 11:59 PM US EDT (“Entry Period”). Sponsor’s server is the official clock for the Contest. Entries received before or after the entry period are void.

Prize: The prize(s) for the Contest are being sponsored by IEEE. IEEE selects (3) Prize winners (each, a “Prize Winner”). The Prize Winner(s) shall each receive one (1) promotional prize valued at USD $500 (the “Prize”). No substitution of Prize permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize or prize component of equal or greater value in its sole discretion for any reason at time of award. Sponsor shall not be responsible for service obligations or warranty (if any) in relation to the Prize(s). Prize may not be transferred prior to award. All other expenses associated with use of the Prize, including, but not limited to local, state, or federal taxes on the Prize, are the sole responsibility of the Prize Winner(s). Prize Winner(s) understand that delivery of a Prize may be void where prohibited by law and agrees that Sponsor shall have no obligation to substitute an alternate prize when so prohibited. 

How to Enter: Entrants can enter the Contest during the Entry Period by completing the official entrance form and completing the affiliated Connections game. Entrants may attempt the game multiple times. 

• Entrants must have completed the IEEE World Standards Day Connections game on the contest website, which can be found here: https://engagestandards.ieee.org/World-Standards-Day.html.
• Entrants should screenshot (“share”) their complete game result as instructed on the website into the submission form.
• Each submission form must include the entrant's name, email address, mailing address, country, and affiliation, in addition to their Connections game result.
• Sponsor reserves the right to exclude entries if they do not conform to the above conditions at its sole discretion.

LIMIT ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON  

Only entries submitted in accordance with these Official Rules will be eligible for consideration. No alternate means of entry permitted.

Selection of Prize Winner(s): Up to three (3) Prize Winner(s) will be selected. Prize Winner(s) will be chosen at random. 

• Notification of Potential Prize Winners: The Prize Winner(s) will be notified by email. If a Prize Winner does not acknowledge acceptance of the Prize within 14 business days after being notified that he or she is a Prize Winner, or if a potential Prize Winner does not return the signed claim forms within the required time, or is otherwise found to be ineligible or not in full compliance with these Official Rules, another Prize Winner will be chosen using the same procedure specified above. Potential Prize Winner(s) may be asked to execute and return to Sponsor a declaration of eligibility and liability/publicity release, where lawful, within fourteen (14) days of attempted notification. Prize Winner(s) may waive the right to receive the Prize. The decisions of Sponsor are final and binding in all respects.

Release, Publicity, and Privacy: By receipt of the Prize and/or, if requested, by signing an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release, the Prize Winner(s) consents to the use of his or her name, likeness, and address by Sponsor for advertising and promotional purposes, including but not limited to on Sponsor’s social media pages, without any additional compensation, except where prohibited. The Prize Winner(s) agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor and its officers, directors, employees, affiliated companies, agents, successors and assigns from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest.

Sponsor assumes no responsibility for computer system, hardware, software or program malfunctions or other errors, failures, delayed computer transactions or network connections that are human or technical in nature, or for damaged, lost, late, illegible or misdirected entries; technical, hardware, software, electronic or telephone failures of any kind; lost or unavailable network connections; fraudulent, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions whether caused by Sponsor, the users, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest; or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions or downloading, that may limit, delay or prevent an entrant’s ability to participate in the Contest.

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend this contest and award a prize from entries received up to the time of termination or suspension should virus, bugs, or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control, unauthorized human intervention, malfunction, computer problems, phone line, or network hardware or software malfunction, which, in the sole opinion of Sponsor, corrupt, compromise or materially affect the administration, fairness, security, or proper play of the contest or proper submission of entries. Sponsor is not liable for any loss, injury, or damage caused, whether directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from downloading data or otherwise participating in this Contest.

Entrant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsor may collect, store, share, and otherwise use personally identifiable information provided during the registration and application process and the Contest, including, but not limited to, name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. Sponsor will use this information in accordance with its Privacy Policy, including for administering the Contest and verifying Entrant’s identity, postal address, and telephone number in the event an entry qualifies for a prize. Entrant’s information may also be transferred to countries outside the country of Entrant’s residence, including the United States. Such other countries may not have privacy laws and regulations similar to those of the country of Entrant’s residence. If an Entrant does not provide the mandatory data required at registration, Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify the entry.

Right to Use Entries: By entering the Contest, entrants grant Sponsor a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide right and license to reproduce, publish, display, edit, and otherwise use the submitted Entries, and entrant’s full name and city and state/province/country of residence, photograph, likeness, and voice, in print or any offline or online, and other media for purposes of editorials, exhibition, advertising, publicity, and promotion without additional compensation or permission, unless prohibited by law.

Representations and Warranties Regarding Entries: By submitting an Entry, you represent and warrant that your Entry does not and shall not comprise, contain, or describe, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion: (A) false statements or any misrepresentations of your affiliation with a person or entity; (B) personally identifying information about you or any other person; (C) statements or other content that is false, deceptive, misleading, scandalous, indecent, obscene, unlawful, defamatory, libelous, fraudulent, tortious, threatening, harassing, hateful, degrading, intimidating, or racially or ethnically offensive; (D) conduct that could be considered a criminal offense, could give rise to criminal or civil liability, or could violate any law; (E) any advertising, promotion, or other solicitation, or any third-party brand name or trademark; or (F) any virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other harmful code or component.

By submitting an Entry, you represent and warrant that you comply with all of these Official Rules, and that the submitted Entry is yours only and does not infringe any third-party rights or violate any laws or regulations.

Limitations of Liability/Reserved Rights: Neither Sponsor, its parent, subsidiary, or affiliated companies, nor its advertising or promotional agencies shall have any obligation, liability, or responsibility with regard to (i) entries that contain incorrect or inaccurate information or do not comply with these Official Rules, (ii) entries, prize claims, or notifications that are lost, late, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, damaged, or otherwise not received by the intended recipient, in whole or in part, due to computer, technical, or other error of any kind, (iii) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind, (iv) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Sponsor that may cause the Contest to be disrupted or delayed, (v) any printing or typographical errors in these Official Rules or any other materials associated with the Contest, or (vi) any damages or losses of any kind caused by any prize or resulting from participation in the Contest, accessing, uploading, or downloading data in connection with the Contest, or acceptance, possession, or use of any prize. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any entrant tampering with or abusing the entry process or the operation of the Contest or otherwise violating these Official Rules. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, further reserves the right to cancel, terminate, suspend, or modify the Contest if the Contest cannot be completed as planned because of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, or technical failures of any sort and to select a winner from among eligible entries unaffected by such event, if any.

Disputes: EACH ENTRANT AGREES THAT: (1) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS, AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CONTEST, OR ANY PRIZES AWARDED, SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORTING TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION, PURSUANT TO ARBITRATION CONDUCTED UNDER THE COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES OF THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION THEN IN EFFECT, (2) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS, AND AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, INCLUDING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THIS CONTEST, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEYS’ FEES; AND (3) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY ENTRANT BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN AWARDS FOR, AND ENTRANT HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO CLAIM, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, AND ANY OTHER DAMAGES, OTHER THAN FOR ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES, AND ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED.  ALL ISSUES AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES, OR THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ENTRANT AND SPONSOR IN CONNECTION  WITH THE CONTEST, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OF LAW OR CONFLICT OF LAW, RULES OR PROVISIONS (WHETHER OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION) THAT WOULD CAUSE THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. SPONSOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TYPOGRAPHICAL OR OTHER ERROR IN THE PRINTING OF THE OFFER OR ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONTEST OR IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PRIZES.

Contest Results and Official Rules: To obtain the identity of the Prize Winner(s) and/or a copy of these Official Rules, please email [email protected] or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Susan England-Lutz, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Incorporated (“IEEE”), 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, 08854.

For any questions about the Contest, feel free to contact us.